After the Supreme Court affirmed the right of same-sex couples across America to marry Friday local time, Australians took to social media to celebrate the news.
Tweets of support for the decision under the hashtag #lovewins were accompanied by calls for Australia to also take the plunge and allow equality for all.
Australia should be next to say yes #LoveWins— RossLynch (@Kattieleebieber) June 28, 2015
#LoveWins C'mon Australia, its time for equality xxx— doge anna (@AshLouAnna) June 28, 2015
yes America! Hopefully Australia is next! #LoveWins— Luke is bae af✩❤︎ (@millie5SOSfam) June 28, 2015
Gay marriage supporters won't get much love from Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott, however. Abbott, who opposes same-sex marriage, said Saturday he had not changed his mind on the subject.
"What happens in the United States is obviously a matter for the United States, just as what happened in Ireland a few weeks ago is a matter for the Irish," he told ABC TV. "As for our own country, obviously there is a community debate going on. I have views on this subject which are pretty well known and they haven't changed."
A number of his government ministers didn't appear to have gotten Abbott's party pooper memo. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull told ABC TV on Sunday that change is gaining momentum around the world. "The trend is only going one way," he said.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne also predicted Australia would soon wrangle with the issue, telling 9 News Saturday "There appears to be growing momentum worldwide towards marriage equality and our parliament will deal with it at the appropriate time in the appropriate way," he said. "When we come back in spring, there's every possibility that will be back on the agenda."
Independents, Greens and Labor politicians also made their views known.
Very exciting news that #MarriageEquaility is a right of all in the United States. Time for it to become a right in Australia too #LoveWins— Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) June 27, 2015
Fantastic #MarriageEquaility news out of the United States today. I hope we can experience the same joy in Australia soon.— Clover Moore (@CloverMoore) June 27, 2015
Fantastic decision in support of #marriagequality by US Supreme Court. #LoveWins— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) June 26, 2015
A joyous day in America. Let us make it a call to action in Australia. It's time to make #MarriageEquality a reality http://t.co/8N4SBLAZWa— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) June 27, 2015
And for those few misguided Americans who said they'd move to Australia because of the court's ruling, Aussies had a few choice words.
I'll give Texas 5 years to secede. If not I'm moving to Australia — Courtney Parks (@courtneyparkss) June 26, 2015
@courtneyparkss we don't want you rednecks here, we want marriage equality. Try Russia?— Aimee Lee (@aimeeleejones) June 27, 2015
@courtneyparkss Our gun control laws, national health service and social welfare wouldn't sit well with you. #lovewins— Nicole Boyd (@Nixygirl) June 27, 2015
I shall be more clear for the extra dumb: dear US homophobes. If you move to Australia you can't bring your guns. #LoveWins #guncontrol— Vicki (@Iamverysmart) June 28, 2015